By Jeff McDonald, Staff Writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2025-11-29 12:15:37
圣安东尼奥马刺队后卫德文·瓦塞尔在2025年11月28日星期五于丹佛对阵丹佛掘金队的NBA比赛中，于下半场末段命中一记关键三分球后庆祝。(美联社照片/大卫·扎鲁博夫斯基)
明尼阿波利斯电 – 当球离开德文·瓦塞尔 (Devin Vassell) 指尖的瞬间，手感滚烫——如果说他当时还能意识到什么的话。
马刺队的这位后卫正处在那种玄妙的境界之中：时间仿佛慢动作定格，篮筐在他眼中辽阔如海，每一次出手都感觉是理所当然的命中。
这一点在周五于丹佛进行的一场季后赛级别比赛的收官阶段，从瓦塞尔的表现中便可见一斑。
就连他的队友，例如凯尔登·约翰逊 (Keldon Johnson)，都看出了他的状态。
“他在最后两分钟告诉我，如果球到了我手里，别犹豫，”瓦塞尔说，“坚决出手，打出侵略性。”
而瓦塞尔也正是这么做的。
他砍下的35分，帮助马刺队以139-136在客场逆转战胜掘金队，这或许是他们本赛季最令人印象深刻的一场胜利。
瓦塞尔全场17投12中，其中三分球9投7中，而其中最重要的，莫过于在最后分半钟里命中的那两记接连的关键远投。
第一记远投在比赛还剩1分25秒时打破了126平的僵局。第二记则在比赛还剩54.6秒时将马刺的领先优势扩大到132-126。
整场比赛，瓦塞尔在第四节独得18分，带领马刺队完成了18分的大逆转，在比赛末段令掘金队措手不及。
“很显然，你要把球交给手感火热的球员，”马刺通常的关键终结者德阿龙·福克斯 (De’Aaron Fox) 说道，“他状态正佳，我们当然想继续把球给他，让他放手去打。这不仅能提升他自己的信心，也能鼓舞全队的士气。”
凭借周五的这场胜利，马刺队锁定了NBA阿联酋航空杯锦标赛西部C组的头名，队史首次晋级淘汰赛阶段。
“队员们对此感到非常兴奋，”教练米奇·约翰逊 (Mitch Johnson) 说，“我知道我们晋级了，因为我们赢了。我也知道我们是击败了一些非常强大的对手才做到的。”
马刺队将在12月10日于洛杉矶迎战四分之一决赛的对手——洛杉矶湖人队。
在此之前，他们将力争保持连胜势头，他们的四连客之旅将于周日在明尼苏达收官。
对于那些身穿马刺球衣、经历了最多失利的少数球员——例如瓦塞尔、朱利安·尚帕尼 (Julian Champagnie) 和凯尔登·约翰逊来说，这次杯赛的成功意义更为重大。
这三名球员都在对阵丹佛的比赛中贡献卓著。
瓦塞尔扛起了得分重任，距离打破自己的生涯得分纪录仅差两分。而这次的爆发，发生在他两天前另一场NBA杯赛的生死战中——当时他砍下23分，帮助马刺击败了波特兰。
尚帕尼则以赛季新高的25分痛击掘金，并抢下10个篮板，连续第三场比赛拿到两双。此外，他的10次罚球全部命中。
凯尔登·约翰逊贡献了14分和8个篮板，险些连续第二场拿到两双。
“对于这三名球员，”米奇·约翰逊说，“我认为他们在以多种方式影响比赛胜负方面的成熟度，确实令人印象深刻。”
现年25岁的瓦塞尔自马刺队在2020年选秀中以第11顺位选中他以来，已经取得了长足的进步。当时，他是自蒂姆·邓肯 (Tim Duncan) 以来，球队选中的顺位最高的新秀。
在其NBA生涯早期，马刺曾将瓦塞尔培养为球队的头号得分手。他拥有大量球权，并且被赋予了极高的战术自由度。
在2023-24赛季，瓦塞尔为一支仅取得22场胜利的球队场均贡献19.5分。
维克托·文班亚马 (Victor Wembanyama) 的崛起，以及斯蒂芬·卡斯尔 (Stephon Castle) 和德阿龙·福克斯的到来，将瓦塞尔推向了一个更偏向辅助的角色。
这种转变并非一帆风顺。
“这并不容易，尤其对一名年轻球员而言，当你并非身处一个目标明确、常胜之师的环境中时，”米奇·约翰逊说。
随着身边队友天赋水平的提升，瓦塞尔必须学会区分2023年的“好出手”和2025年的“好出手”之间有何不同。
“这绝对是一种调整，”瓦塞尔说，“但只要能帮助球队赢球，我什么都愿意做。归根结底，我需要保持侵略性。只要我打得有侵略性，就能让我在进攻端和防守端都保持专注。”
一直以来，马刺教练组都在引导瓦塞尔，希望他能在得分之外，找到更多影响比赛的方式。
对阵波特兰时，米奇·约翰逊赞扬了瓦塞尔抢下的六个篮板。而在丹佛，他又展现了自己在防守端的威慑力以及绕过掩护时的拼搏精神。
“这才是我们需要的德文·瓦塞尔，”米奇·约翰逊说。
由于文班亚马和卡斯尔在过去一周半的时间里缺阵，瓦塞尔获得了更多的得分机会。
在波特兰和丹佛的两场必须取胜的杯赛中，瓦塞尔合砍58分，这是他职业生涯中任意连续两场比赛的最高得分。
对瓦塞尔而言，未来的挑战——从周日对阵明尼苏达的比赛开始——就是要再次找到那种火热状态。
不仅仅是在得分方面，更在于那些能为球队带来胜利的所有其他贡献。
“他正在成为一名能够赢球的球员，”米奇·约翰逊说，“我们会一边鼓励他，一边鞭策他，让他继续保持下去。当他做到这些时，他就是能改变比赛走向的球员。”
周五在丹佛，当NBA杯赛四分之一决赛资格悬于一线时，瓦塞尔不仅是一名赢球的球员，更是力挽狂澜的英雄。
他在比赛末段面对掘金时投中的那两记背靠背三分球，堪称其NBA生涯至今最关键的投篮之一。
在此之前，马刺队已经连续四次进攻无功而返，其中三次都以福克斯的投篮偏出告终，直到卢克·科内特 (Luke Kornet) 在右侧弧顶找到瓦塞尔，助其命中一记打破僵局的三分球。
紧接着，通过一个如法炮制的战术，他又命中一记三分，为马刺队赢得了更多的喘息空间。
当被问及马刺队是如何在周五的比赛中，凭借更强的毅力击败了久经考验的卫冕冠军掘金队，并闯入杯赛四分之一决赛时，尚帕尼的回答言简意赅。
“防守，还有德文·瓦塞尔，”他说，“就这么简单。”
San Antonio Spurs center Luke Kornet, front, looks to pass the ball under pressure from Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic in the second half of an NBA Cup basketball game, Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell, front, shoots for a three-point basket as Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray comes in to cover in the second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Denver Nuggets guard Bruce Brown, left, drives to the rim past San Antonio Spurs guard Keldon Johnson in the second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
San Antonio Spurs forward Julian Champagnie, left, drives past Denver Nuggets forward Cameron Johnson in the first half of an NBA Cup basketball game, Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Denver Nuggets forward Cameron Johnson, right, looks to pass the ball as San Antonio Spurs forward Julian Champagnie, left, defends in the first half of an NBA Cup basketball game Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Denver Nuggets forward Cameron Johnson, left, and center Nikola Jokic, top left, and San Antonio Spurs forward Lindy Waters III (43) pursue the ball in the first half of an NBA Cup basketball game Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, left, jostles for position under the basket with San Antonio Spurs center/forward Luke Kornet in the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, front, drives past San Antonio Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan in the first half of an NBA Cup basketball game, Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell, right, goes up for a basket as Denver Nuggets forward Spencer Jones defends in the first half of an NBA Cup basketball game Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
San Antonio Spurs forward Harrison Barnes, left, goes up for a basket as Denver Nuggets forward Cameron Johnson defends in the first half of an NBA Cup basketball game, Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
由生成式人工智能翻译，译文内容可能不准确或不完整，以原文为准。
点击查看原文：How Devin Vassell became the Spurs' new Captain Clutch
How Devin Vassell became the Spurs’ new Captain Clutch
San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell reacts after hitting a key, three-point basket against the Denver Nuggets late in the second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
MINNEAPOLIS – The ball felt good coming off Devin Vassell’s hand, if he felt anything at all.
The Spurs guard was in one of those zones in which time slows to a freeze frame, the basket looks as big as an ocean, and made shots seem as inevitable as church on Sunday.
That was apparent in Vassell’s approach coming down the stretch of another playoff-like game Friday in Denver.
Even his teammates, like Keldon Johnson, could see it.
“He told me in the last two minutes if the ball comes to me, don’t think,” Vassell said. “Just be aggressive and shoot.”
That’s precisely what Vassell did.
His 35 points helped propel the Spurs to a 139-136 come-from-behind road victory over the Nuggets that might be their most impressive of the season.
Vassell made 12 of 17 field goals and 7 of 9 3-pointers, none bigger than back-to-back long balls in the final minute and a half.
The first broke a 126-all tie with 1:25 to play. The second pushed the Spurs’ lead to 132-126 with 54.6 seconds remaining.
In all, Vassell had 18 of his points in the fourth quarter as the Spurs rallied from 18 points down to stun the Nuggets down the stretch.
“Obviously you try to feed the hot hand,” said De’Aaron Fox, the Spurs usual clutch closer. “He had it going and we want to continue to get him the ball to do what he does. It is confidence booster not only for himself but for everybody.”
With Friday’s win, the Spurs clinched West Group C in the NBA Emirates Cup tournament, advancing to the knockout stage for the first time.
“The guys are really excited about it,” coach Mitch Johnson said. “I know we’re in because we won. I know we beat some really good teams to do it.”
The Spurs will draw a quarterfinals matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers on Dec. 10 in L.A.
Until then, they will look to keep rolling as a four-game road trip ends Sunday at Minnesota.
The Spurs’ Cup success means more to the handful of players who have done the most losing in a Spurs uniform – players like Vassell, Julian Champagnie and Keldon Johnson.
All three contributed against Denver.
Vassell handled the scoring load, missing his career high by two points. His detonation came two nights after Vassell pumped in 23 points to boost the Spurs past Portland in another NBA Cup elimination game.
Champagnie scorched the Nuggets with a season-best 25 points and added 10 rebounds for his third straight double-double. He also made all 10 of his foul shots.
Johnson added 14 points and eight rebounds, narrowly missing his second consecutive double-double.
“With those three guys,” Mitch Johnson said, “I just think their maturation in terms of impacting winning in a variety of ways has been really, really impressive.”
The 25-year-old Vassell has come a long way since the Spurs made him the 11th pick in the 2020 draft. At the time, he was the club’s highest-drafted rookie since Tim Duncan.
Early in his NBA career, the Spurs groomed Vassell to be a go-to scorer. The ball was in his hands a ton, and he was given long leash to do with it as he pleased.
In 2023-24, Vassell averaged 19.5 points for a team that won 22 games.
The rise of Victor Wembanyama, along with the arrivals of Stephon Castle and De’Aaron Fox, have pushed Vassell into a more complementary role.
It has not always been a seamless fit.
“It’s not easy, especially as a young player, when you don’t necessarily come into a winning situation where it’s clear and you see the objective or the goal,” Mitch Johnson said.
As the talent level has grown around him, Vassell has had to learn the difference between a good shot in 2023 and a good shot in 2025.
“It’s definitely an adjustment,” Vassell said. “But whatever I can do to help this team win. Ultimately I need to just stay aggressive. As long as I’m aggressive. It keeps me engaged on the offensive end and it keeps me engaged on a defensive end.”
All along, Spurs coaches have cajoled Vassell into finding different ways to put a stamp on the game outside of the scoring department.
Against Portland, Mitch Johnson praised Vassell’s six rebounds. In Denver, it was Vassell’s defensive presence and competitiveness fighting over screens.
“That’s the Devin Vassell we need,” Mitch Johnson said.
With Wembanyama and Castle out for the past week and a half, Vassell’s scoring opportunities have risen.
The 58 points Vassell totaled in a pair of must-win Cup games in Portland and Denver were the most of any two-game span in his career.
For Vassell, the challenge going forward – starting with Sunday in Minnesota – is to find that zone again.
Not only with his scoring, but with everything else that contributes to the win column.
“He’s becoming a winning player,” Mitch Johnson said. “We’ve got our arm around him and our foot up his backside to continue to do it. He’s a difference maker when he does that.”
Friday in Denver, with the NBA Cup quarterfinals on the line, Vassell was a winning player and then some.
His back-to-back 3-pointers late against the Nuggets rank among the most clutch shots of his NBA life.
The Spurs had gone four consecutive trips without points, three of them ending in Fox misfires, before Luke Kornet found Vassell on the right arc for a tie-breaking 3-pointer.
He followed with another, on an identically drawn play, to give the Spurs more breathing room.
Asked how the Spurs were able to out-gumption the championship-tested Nuggets on Friday and crash the Cup quarterfinals, Champagnie was succinct.
“Stops and Devin Vassell,” he said. “It’s that simple.”
By Jeff McDonald, Staff Writer, via San Antonio Express-News